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There are eight types of bears in the world. For many years scientists
wondered whether the panda was more like the raccoon family or more like
the bear family. In about the last ten years, DNA studies have shown that
that giant panda is more closely related to the bear. Books published before
that time may still list only seven species of bear, because the giant
panda was not included in the list. As you study bears, you might be surprised
to find some things you thought were true about bears are not. For instance,
most bears are not the fierce predators we are often led to believe.